Facial radiance influences facial attractiveness and affective impressions of faces

Objective

Facial attractiveness has been reported to be influenced by visual features such as facial shape and the colour and texture of the skin. However, no empirical studies have examined the effects of facial skin radiance on facial attractiveness. The present study investigated whether types of skin reflection (i.e. radiant, oily and shiny, and matte) and the position of the reflection on the face influence facial attractiveness and other affective impressions.

Methods

A total of 160 female participants (1) estimated the ages and (2) evaluated attractiveness and other impressions of unfamiliar female faces in a total of seven skin reflection conditions. These conditions incorporated three types of reflection (i.e. radiant, oily and shiny, and matte) and three positions of the reflection on the face (i.e. entire facial skin, only cheeks, and only T‐zone).

Results

The facial images of radiance on entire faces were rated as appearing younger than the facial images of oily shine on entire faces and the matte faces. Attractiveness ratings and other positive impressions increased in the order of the matte (ranked lowest), the oily shine on entire face, and the radiance on entire face (ranked highest) conditions. The reflection position also influenced facial attractiveness: attractiveness ratings and other positive impressions were higher in the radiance on entire face condition than in the radiant cheeks and the radiant T‐zone conditions. Interestingly, the radiant cheek faces were rated more radiant and healthier but less feminine and less bright than the radiant T‐zone faces.

Conclusion

These results suggest that facial radiance enhances facial attractiveness and conveys a wide variety of positive impressions on the observer. The magnitude of the effects of cheek radiance and T‐zone radiance differs across various affective impressions. Nevertheless, the results demonstrate that cheek and the T‐zone radiance both contribute to higher attractiveness and other positive impressions of the radiance on entire faces. We believe that our findings can contribute as a guide to the enhancement of positive facial impressions by means of skin radiance, thereby leading to a better understanding of the value of skincare and base makeup.

The Child Affective Facial Expression Set Short Versions (CAFE-Ss): Development and Validation of Two Subsets of Children's Emotional Faces With Variability

Emotion recognition plays an important role in children’s socio-emotional development. Research on children’s emotion recognition has heavily relied on stimulus sets of photos of adults posed stereotyped facial configurations. The Child Affective Facial Expression set (CAFE) is a relatively new stimulus set that provides researchers with photographs of a diverse group of children’s facial configurations in seven emotional categories—angry, sad, happy, fearful, disgusted, surprised, and neutral. However, the large size of the full CAFE set makes it less ideal for research in children. Here, we introduce two subsets of CAFE with 140 photographs of children’s facial configurations in each set, diverse in the race and ethnicity of the models, and designed to produce variability in naïve observers. The subsets have been validated with 1000 adult participants.

Contrast Negation Impairs Sorting Unfamiliar Faces by Identity: A Comparison With Original (Contrast-Positive) and Stretched Images

Recognition of unfamiliar faces is difficult in part due to variations in expressions, angles, and image quality. Studies suggest shape and surface properties play varied roles in face learning, and identification of unfamiliar faces uses diagnostic pigmentation/surface reflectance relative to shape information. Here, participants sorted photo-cards of unfamiliar faces by identity, which were shown in their original, stretched, and contrast-negated forms, to examine the utility of diagnostic shape and surface properties in sorting unfamiliar faces by identity. In four experiments, we varied the presentation order of conditions (contrast-negated first or original first with stretched second across experiments) and whether the same or different photo-cards were seen across conditions. Stretching the images did not impair performance in any measures relative to other conditions. Contrast negation generally exacerbated poor sorting by identity compared with the other conditions. However, seeing the contrast-negated photo-cards last mitigated some of the effects of contrast negation. Together, results suggest an important role for surface properties such as pigmentation and reflectance for sorting by identity and add to literatures on informational content and appearance variability in discrimination of facial identity.

Measuring sensitivity to eye gaze cues in naturalistic scenes: Presenting the eye gaze FoCuS database

OBJECTIVES

The ability to process information about eye gaze and its use for nonverbal communication is foundational to human social interactions. We developed and validated a database of stimuli that are optimized to investigate the perception and referential understanding of shifts in eye gaze.

METHODS

The 245 Gaze Perception stimuli are digital photographs that test the ability to estimate and interpret eye gaze trajectory. The 82 Gaze Following stimuli are digital videos that measure the ability to follow and interpret eye gaze shifts online. Both stimuli were designed for a 4-alternative forced choice paradigm (4AFC) in which the participant identifies the gazed-at object.

RESULTS

Each stimulus was validated by independent raters and only included if the endorsement of the correct item was ≥75%. Finally, we provided timestamps for 19 40-second video segments from adolescent-oriented entertainment movies that are matched on several factors. These segments involve social interactions with eye gaze shifts and can be used to measure visual social attention.

CONCLUSIONS

This database will be an excellent resource for researchers interested in studying the developmental, behavioral, and/or neural mechanisms supporting the perception and interpretation of eye gaze cues.

Attractiveness and distinctiveness between speakers' voices in naturalistic speech and their faces are uncorrelated

Facial attractiveness has been linked to the averageness (or typicality) of a face and, more tentatively, to a speaker's vocal attractiveness, via the 'honest signal' hypothesis, holding that attractiveness signals good genes. In four experiments, we assessed ratings for attractiveness and two common measures of distinctiveness ('distinctiveness-in-the-crowd', DITC and 'deviation-based distinctiveness', DEV) for faces and voices (simple vowels, or more naturalistic sentences) from 64 young adult speakers (32 female). Consistent and substantial negative correlations between attractiveness and DEV generally supported the averageness account of attractiveness, for both voices and faces. By contrast, and indicating that both measures of distinctiveness reflect different constructs, correlations between attractiveness and DITC were numerically positive for faces (though small and non-significant), and significant for voices in sentence stimuli. Between faces and voices, distinctiveness ratings were uncorrelated. Remarkably, and at variance with the honest signal hypothesis, vocal and facial attractiveness were also uncorrelated in all analyses involving naturalistic, i.e. sentence-based, speech. This result pattern was confirmed using a new set of stimuli and raters (experiment 5). Overall, while our findings strongly support an averageness account of attractiveness for both domains, they provide no evidence for an honest signal account of facial and vocal attractiveness in complex naturalistic speech.

Effects of Modulated Emotion and Facial Masking Encounter on Personal Distance

In this study, we examined the effects of participants' emotional states on personal space when an approaching person's face was either masked or unmasked. We used the participants' uncomfortable stop-distance as our method of measuring personal space. Inducing a positive emotion narrowed perceived personal space, whereas inducing a negative emotion widened personal space. For both positive and negative emotions, the perceived interpersonal distance was shorter when the approaching face was unmasked than masked. There was no interaction effect on personal space between induced affect and masking or unmasking the approaching face. This study might provide insight into interpersonal behavior during a pandemic juncture.

Non-Squamous, Non-Basal Cell Cancers of the Skin: Exploring Associations Between Site of Disease and Depression

BACKGROUND

Earlier studies report a direct association between diseases of the skin-particularly those on the face-and depression. However, to our knowledge, such associations have not been examined in patients with non-squamous, non-basal call skin cancers.

METHODS

The primary goal was to assess whether malignant skin disease-specifically on the face as opposed to other sites-was associated with depression. The medical records of patients with cutaneous cancer (either primary or metastatic but non-squamous, non-basal cell) were reviewed for the relevant data.

RESULTS

One hundred and sixty-five patients were studied. Only 23 patients (14%) had metastases to the face, and 115 (70%) had a readily viewable skin cancer. Twenty-one patients (13%) developed depression after a diagnosis of cutaneous cancer (of note, the rate of missing data for depression was 37%). Only one patient with facial cutaneous cancer manifested depression, yielding an odds ratio for not developing depression (95% confidence interval (CI)) of 4.4 (0.5,35); p = 0.13. Depression appeared to occur more often in women (62% versus 43%), patients with a history of depression (52% versus 6%), and younger patients (median age with and without depression 55 years and 67 years, respectively).

CONCLUSION

In contrast to other cutaneous diseases, no association was found between cutaneous cancer to the face and depression. Nonetheless, high rates of missing data underscore the need to focus on depression in patients with cutaneous cancers in the future.

Exploring the Thermal Signature of Guilt, Shame, and Remorse

The recent study of complex emotions using visual storyboards by Bhushan et al. (2020) endorses that same scenario can induce guilt/remorse or guilt/shame in people based on valence. These findings were based on behavioral data and did not consider body physiology. The present study aimed to explore the difference in the thermal signature of scenarios that elicit guilt in some and shame/remorse in others. Using storyboard depicting 13 scenarios, we analyzed the thermal changes on the forehead, eyes (left and right separately), cheek (left and right separately), nose tip, and mouth regions of the face with the objective of exploring the thermal signature of guilt, shame, and remorse. Data were collected from 31 participants using a thermal camera in a laboratory setting. We found a difference of 0.5°C or above change in temperature on the forehead, left and right cheeks, and mouth regions during guilt experience compared to shame and remorse experiences. The temperature of the right and left cheeks was high for guilt as compared to remorse for two scenarios inducing guilt/remorse, and the difference was statistically significant. For one of the scenarios inducing guilt/shame, thermal change in the right eye region was higher for shame as compared to guilt. The findings are discussed in light of the distribution of blood vessels on the face.

Giving, receiving … and forgetting? On the social conditions of receiving an anonymous face transplant

In 2004, the French National Consultative Ethics Committee expressed strong misgivings about the proposal to include the face among body parts that can be removed from deceased donors for organ transplantation. Yet, the first face transplant was performed a few months later. How do medical teams and patients deal with the singular nature of the face? I argue that what the face represents - from the medium of the donor's personal identity to an interchangeable organ - is not fixed. It emerges through the practices and can evolve through the interactions between medical professionals and patients. In the postoperative time, I show that patients receive potentially contradictory recommendations about how to integrate the organ: to consider it theirs and forget the donor, but also to thank the donor for the donation and never forget the origin of the graft. Based on the plurality of relationships developed by the patients with their donor, I revisit Maussian interpretative analyses of organ reception. The effects of giving a face vary both in terms of reciprocity and identity: the feeling of debt is variably felt and can be interpreted negatively or positively, and the experience is more or less transformative.

Irritant contact dermatitis, multiple pyogenic granulomas and vitiligo following topical application of tretinoin

A 65-year-old women presented with sharply demarcated macules and small nodules on her face and neck for 2.5 years. They first appeared on her left face and gradually spread to her whole face and neck. The lesions were slightly pruritic. Her history was remarkable only for a high dose of topical tretinoin cream 0.025% dosage. On the basis of distribution and history, we made the diagnosis of contact dermatitis for the macules. A biopsy of a red papule from her neck revealed characteristics of pyogenic granuloma. However, white patches appear on his face at the third month follow-up after suspension of the tretinoin cream; Wood's lamp examination was consistent with vitiligo. It is the first report of a dose-response variant of this adverse reaction (Contact dermatitis combined with Pyogenic granulomas).

Depth-resolved investigation of multiple optical properties and wrinkle morphology in eye-corner areas with multi-contrast Jones matrix optical coherence tomography

BACKGROUND

Multi-contrast Jones matrix optical coherence tomography (JM-OCT) can provide quantitative depth-resolved local optical properties by improving the measurement algorithm.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We examined the relationship between depth-resolved local optical properties of eye-corner skin measured by JM-OCT and corresponding wrinkle morphology of aged women (n = 21; age range, 71.7 ± 1.7 years). Wrinkle morphology was analyzed by measuring the surface topography of three-dimensional replicas. The same regions were measured three-dimensionally by JM-OCT, and the local optical properties at each depth were computed.

RESULTS

Birefringence (BR) and mean wrinkle depth correlated significantly at a depth of 88.2-138.6 µm from the skin surface, and attenuation coefficient (AC) and mean wrinkle depth correlated significantly at a depth of 12.6-18.9 µm and 189-459.9 μm from the skin surface, although a degree of polarization uniformity (DOPU) did not. Stepwise multiple regression analysis demonstrated that a significant regression equation (R²  = 0.649, P < .001) for predicting mean wrinkle depth was determined by BR at 107.1 µm depth (BR _{107.1 µm} ), DOPU at 170.1 µm (DOPU _170.1µm ), and AC at 252 µm (AC _{252 µm} ) as independent variables and that these standardized beta regression coefficients were -0.860, -0.593, and -0.440, respectively, suggesting that BR, DOPU, and AC sufficiently explained mean wrinkle depth.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that BR _{107.1 µm} , DOPU _{170.1 µm,} and AC _{252 µm} may indicate collagen-related structure in the papillary, upper-reticular dermis, and microstructure or tissue density in reticular dermis, respectively, and may be involved in wrinkle formation.

An atypical presentation of extensive centrofacial microcystic adnexal carcinoma responding to radiation: A case report and review of the literature

Microcystic adnexal carcinoma is a rare cutaneous neoplasm believed to arise from pluripotent keratinocytes capable of adnexal differentiation. Due to its insidious growth and appearance, diagnosis is often delayed. A deep incisional or excisional biopsy for histopathology is the gold standard for diagnosis. Different treatment modalities have been described in the literature, including the Mohs micrographic surgery, standard excision, radiation, chemotherapy, and observation. Currently, Mohs remains the treatment of choice. We present a unique case of a 12-month history of an extensive progressive centrofacial cutaneous induration diagnosed as microcystic adnexal carcinoma in an 83-year-old female. Due to the extensive nature of the tumor, she received radiation therapy and continues to receive ongoing assessment with no evidence of clinical recurrence at 2-year post-treatment including negative scouting biopsies. To date, there is no consensus on the optimal treatment for microcystic adnexal carcinoma.

Face Inversion Effect on Perceived Cuteness and Pupillary Response

The face inversion effect reflects the special nature of facial processing and appears not only in recognizing facial identity or expression but also in subjective evaluation, such as facial attractiveness. Previous studies have revealed that the way in which we perceive attractiveness (beauty versus cuteness) differs our perceptual behavior. Therefore, the face inversion effect on attractiveness might differ based on the viewpoint of attractiveness. In this study, we measured pupillary response when judging the cuteness of facial stimuli and focused on the mechanism of perceiving attractiveness in terms of the effect of involuntary physical reaction. We investigated whether perceived cuteness – a kind of attractiveness – was affected by face inversion and whether the face inversion effect appeared in pupillary responses. We then conducted experiments in which participants observed inverted faces and rated the subjective cuteness of the faces, and we measured the participants’ pupil size while they observed the facial stimuli. The results revealed a negative correlation between pupil changes and the perceived cuteness of inverted faces, which is consistent with the previous result of upright faces. Thus, we found that the perception of facial cuteness is little affected by face inversion, suggesting that the judgment of cuteness is processed differently from other types of attractiveness such as beauty. We also found that pupillary response is related to perceiving cuteness, which could lead to consistency in the perception of cuteness.

The Functional Organization of High-Level Visual Cortex Determines the Representation of Complex Visual Stimuli

A hallmark of high-level visual cortex is its functional organization of neighboring areas that are selective for single categories, such as faces, bodies, and objects. However, visual scenes are typically composed of multiple categories. How does a category-selective cortex represent such complex stimuli? Previous studies have shown that the representation of multiple stimuli can be explained by a normalization mechanism. Here we propose that a normalization mechanism that operates in a cortical region composed of neighboring category-selective areas would generate a representation of multi-category stimuli that varies continuously across a category-selective cortex as a function of the magnitude of category selectivity for its components. By using fMRI, we can examine this correspondence between category selectivity and the representation of multi-category stimuli along a large, continuous region of cortex. To test these predictions, we used a linear model to fit the fMRI response of human participants (both sexes) to a multi-category stimulus (e.g., a whole person) based on the response to its component stimuli presented in isolation (e.g., a face or a body). Consistent with our predictions, the response of cortical areas in high-level visual cortex to multi-category stimuli varies in a continuous manner along a weighted mean line, as a function of the magnitude of its category selectivity. This was the case for both related (face + body) and unrelated (face+wardrobe) multi-category pairs. We conclude that the functional organization of neighboring category-selective areas may enable a dynamic and flexible representation of complex visual scenes that can be modulated by higher-level cognitive systems according to task demands.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT It is well established that the high-level visual cortex is composed of category-selective areas that reside in nearby locations. Here we predicted that this functional organization together with a normalization mechanism would generate a representation for multi-category stimuli that varies as a function of the category selectivity for its components. Consistent with this prediction, in an fMRI study we found that the representation of multi-category stimuli varies along high-level visual cortex, in a continuous manner, along a weighted mean line, in accordance with the category selectivity for a given area. These findings suggest that the functional organization of high-level visual cortex enables a flexible representation of complex scenes that can be modulated by high-level cognitive systems according to task demands.

Analyzing Facial and Eye Movements to Screen for Alzheimer's Disease

Brain disease can be screened using eye movements. Degenerative brain disorders change eye movement because they affect not only memory and cognition but also the cranial nervous system involved in eye movement. We compared the facial and eye movement patterns of patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease and cognitively normal people to analyze the neurological signs of dementia. After detecting the facial landmarks, the coordinate values for the movements were extracted. We used Spearman’s correlation coefficient to examine associations between horizontal and vertical facial and eye movements. We analyzed the correlation between facial and eye movements without using special eye-tracking equipment or complex conditions in order to measure the behavioral aspect of the natural human gaze. As a result, we found differences between patients with Alzheimer’s disease and cognitively normal people. Patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease tended to move their face and eyes simultaneously in the vertical direction, whereas the cognitively normal people did not, as confirmed by a Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon test. Our findings suggest that objective and accurate measurement of facial and eye movements can be used to screen such patients quickly. The use of camera-based testing for the early detection of patients showing signs of neurodegeneration can have a significant impact on the public care of dementia.

In which rosacea patients should Demodex in the eyelashes be investigated?

Aim

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the presence of Demodex on the face and within the eyelash follicles in patients with rosacea.

Subjects and Methods

This prospective cross-sectional study included 80 participants, 40 patients with rosacea and 40 individuals with no rosacea as controls. The presence of Demodex on the face was assessed by standard superficial skin biopsy. Sixteen eyelashes were epilated from each patient and control.

Results

The rate of Demodex infestation and severe infestation on the face in patients with rosacea was significantly higher than the control group. Demodex count within the eyelash follicle was significantly higher in patients with erythematotelangiectatic type rosacea than the control group. There was no increase in blepharitis in rosacea patients but when blepharitis was present, the rate of the presence of Demodex was higher in this group. There was a statistically significant relationship between the presence of Demodex within the eyelashes and itchy eyes in people without blepharitis.

Conclusion

When at least one Demodex is found on the face in rosacea patients, the eyelashes should be examined for effective treatment of the mite. Itchy eyes may be an important sign of the presence of Demodex in people without blepharitis.

The Facial Shapes in Planning the Treatment with Injectable Fillers

Introduction  The facial beauty is not easy to define, yet it is paramount to assess the needs of each patient to propose an appropriate treatment plan that will provide beautification or rejuvenation in a natural-looking fashion. One of the beauty aspects easily recognized is the face shape, which can give a perception of age, gender, and attractiveness, and reflects the facial anatomical structure. Because addressing the structure of the face is the basis for the aesthetic approach with dermal fillers, we find the identification of the patient's face shape to be a very good starting point in the facial assessment. Objective  To discuss important aspects of facial beauty, the characteristics of the different facial shapes (oval, heart, round, and angular), and a method of planning the aesthetic treatment with injectable fillers based on the strengths and weaknesses of each morphology of the face, that is called the AB face technique. Methods  In this study, we describe seven clinical cases: two cases each of oval, heart, and round, and one case of angular shape. Results  The evaluation of the face shape can help us define the priorities of the aesthetic approach, determining the areas that need to be restored in the aging face, as well as which areas could be enhanced in the younger patient. Conclusion  This approach can be helpful in proposing the aesthetic treatment plan with injectable fillers to provide beautification, rejuvenation, and enhancement of the facial structure, which may benefit facial contours through aging.

A Flexible Neural Representation of Faces in the Human Brain

An important question in human face perception research is to understand whether the neural representation of faces is dynamically modulated by context. In particular, although there is a plethora of neuroimaging literature that has probed the neural representation of faces, few studies have investigated what low-level structural and textural facial features parametrically drive neural responses to faces and whether the representation of these features is modulated by the task. To answer these questions, we employed 2 task instructions when participants viewed the same faces. We first identified brain regions that parametrically encoded high-level social traits such as perceived facial trustworthiness and dominance, and we showed that these brain regions were modulated by task instructions. We then employed a data-driven computational face model with parametrically generated faces and identified brain regions that encoded low-level variation in the faces (shape and skin texture) that drove neural responses. We further analyzed the evolution of the neural feature vectors along the visual processing stream and visualized and explained these feature vectors. Together, our results showed a flexible neural representation of faces for both low-level features and high-level social traits in the human brain.

3D facial morphometry in Italian patients affected by Aicardi syndrome

Aicardi syndrome (AIC) is a rare congenital neurodevelopmental disorder of unknown etiology, that affects almost exclusively females, originally characterized by corpus callosum agenesis, chorioretinal lacunae, and infantile spasms. The current diagnostic criteria also include qualitative facial features (prominent premaxilla, upturned nasal tip, decreased nasal bridge angle, sparse lateral eyebrows, and microphthalmia) that still need quantification. A three-dimensional (3D) photogrammetric assessment of 11 Italian females, age 7-32 years, who satisfied AIC criteria, was performed. Linear distances and angles were computed from soft-tissue facial landmarks coordinates. The z-score values were calculated using data of 850 healthy reference females matched for age and compared by Mann-Whitney test (p < .01). Patients showed a shorter philtrum and right side orbital height (mean z-scores: -1.7, -0.9), shorter superior, middle, and inferior facial depths (mean z-scores: -1.3, -2.2, -2.3), and a smaller length of mandibular ramus (mean z-score: -2.1); conversely, they showed larger nasal and lower facial widths, and lower facial convexity (mean z-scores: 1.7, 1.4, 2.4). The inclinations of the orbit versus the true horizontal were increased bilaterally (mean z-scores: 1.8, 1.1). Some common facial abnormalities were quantified in AIC patients using a noninvasive instrument. They may help clinicians in performing a definite AIC diagnosis in atypical or doubt cases.

Cognitive function has a stronger correlation with perceived age than with chronological age

Aim

The perceived age of older adults, as measured by their facial appearance, has been shown to be a robust biomarker of aging predictive of survival, telomere length and DNA methylation, and reportedly correlates with carotid atherosclerosis and bone status. This study aimed to determine whether metrics of dementia, including general cognition, vitality, depressive state and self‐supportability, have stronger correlations with perceived age than with chronological age.

Methods

This study included 124 patients who were admitted to the Department of Geriatric Medicine, The University of Tokyo Hospital, on account of being suspected of cognitive decline. The Mini‐Mental State Examination, Vitality Index, Geriatric Depression Scale‐15, instrumental activities of daily living and Barthel Index were carried out. Five experienced geriatricians and five experienced clinical psychologists determined the perceived age of participants based on photographs.

Results

The average values of the 10 raters showed excellent reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient (3, 10) = 0.941). Steiger's test revealed that perceived age showed a significantly better correlation with the Mini‐Mental State Examination (female) and Vitality Index (total, female) than did chronological age, but not with Geriatric Depression Scale‐15, instrumental activities of daily living or the Barthel Index.

Conclusions

Perceived age was shown to be a reliable biomarker for cognitive assessment. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 779–784.

Mutant COMP shapes growth and development of skull and facial structures in mice and humans

BACKGROUND

Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is an important extracellular matrix protein primarily functioning in the musculoskeletal tissues and especially endochondral bone growth. Mutations in COMP cause the skeletal dysplasia pseudoachondroplasia (PSACH) that is characterized by short limbs and fingers, joint laxity, and abnormalities but a striking lack of skull and facial abnormalities.

METHODS

This study examined both mice and humans to determine how mutant-COMP affects face and skull growth.

RESULTS

Mutant COMP (MT-COMP) mice were phenotypically distinct. Snout length and skull height were diminished in MT-COMP mouse and the face more closely resembled younger controls. Three-dimensional facial measurements of PSACH faces showed widely spaced eyes, reduced lower facial height, and decreased nasal protrusion, which correlated with a more juvenile appearing face. Neither MT-COMP mice nor PSACH individuals show midface hypoplasia usually associated with abnormal endochondral bone growth. MT-COMP mice do show delayed endochondral and membranous skull ossification that normalizes with age.

CONCLUSION

Therefore, mutant-COMP affects both endochondral and intramembranous bones of the skull resulting in a reduction of the nose and lower facial height in mice and humans, in addition to its well-defined role in the growth plate chondrocytes.

Transbuccal platform for delivery of lipogenic actives to facial skin: Because fat matters

The ability to control facial skin physiology and appearance through the oral mucosa (transbuccally) is largely unexplored. Here, a hypothesis was tested that transbuccal delivery of fat tissue-supportive actives may trigger beneficial cosmetic responses at the level of the skin. First, the importance of the fat tissue for skin structure and function was established by comparative analysis of human biopsies cultured defatted or in the presence of hypodermis, using macroscopic observation, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and histochemistry. Then, the ability to improve epidermal function and structure through the application of a lipoactive patch to oral mucosa was demonstrated in a clinical case study by the quantification of several epidermal microRNAs (miRNAs). It was found that removal of the hypodermal fat layer accelerated skin biopsy aging as demonstrated by the deterioration of the physical appearance at the macroscopic and microscopic (hematoxylin and eosin stain) levels and the decrease of expression of genes implicated in the structure and function of the skin, such as AQP3 and LOR. Furthermore, when adipogenic actives were applied to the oral mucosa under a form of bioadhesive film in a clinical case study, an improvement in the expression of miRNA biomarkers of senescence and inflammation was observed in the epidermis. Taken together, these results indicate that the transbuccal delivery of lipogenic compounds to face is a novel method for the improvement of facial skin structure and function.

Nasolabial shape and aesthetics in unilateral cleft lip and palate: an analysis of nasolabial shape using a mean 3D facial template

The aim of this study was to determine the amount of deviation in nasolabial shape in patients with a cleft compared with an average non-cleft face, and to assess whether this difference is related to nasolabial aesthetics. Three-dimensional stereophotogrammetric images of 60 patients with a unilateral cleft were used. To quantify shape differences, four average non-cleft faces were constructed from stereophotogrammetric images of 141 girls and 60 boys. Three-dimensional shape differences were calculated between superimposed cleft faces and the average non-cleft face for the same sex and age group. Nasolabial aesthetics were rated with the modified Asher-McDade Aesthetic Index using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Mean VAS scores ranged from 51.44 to 60.21 for clefts, with lower aesthetic ratings associated with increasing cleft severity. Shape differences were found between cleft faces and the average non-cleft face. No relationship was found for the VAS, age, and sex, except that a lower VAS was related to a higher nose and lip distance between the superimposed cleft and average non-cleft faces for nasal profile (P= 0.02), but the explained variance was low (R²=0.066). In conclusion, except for nasal profile, nasolabial aesthetics were not influenced by the extent of shape differences from the average non-cleft face.

Recognition of Emotions From Facial Point-Light Displays

Facial emotion recognition occupies a prominent place in emotion psychology. How perceivers recognize messages conveyed by faces can be studied in either an explicit or an implicit way, and using different kinds of facial stimuli. In the present study, we explored for the first time how facial point-light displays (PLDs) (i.e., biological motion with minimal perceptual properties) can elicit both explicit and implicit mechanisms of facial emotion recognition. Participants completed tasks of explicit or implicit facial emotion recognition from PLDs. Results showed that point-light stimuli are sufficient to allow facial emotion recognition, be it explicit and implicit. We argue that this finding could encourage the use of PLDs in research on the perception of emotional cues from faces.

Electric scooter craniofacial trauma

OBJECTIVE

The use of standing electronic scooters associated with micromobility applications (e-scooters) has risen nationally. The aim of this study was to obtain a detailed view of soft tissue and bony craniofacial injury associated with e-scooter-related trauma.

METHODS

Single-institution retrospective case series of patients presenting to a level 1 trauma center emergency department or trauma unit with documented e-scooter-related craniofacial injury.

RESULTS

Of 203 included patients, 188 (92.6%) patients sustained craniofacial injury. One hundred thirty-one (64.5%) had exclusively soft tissue injury, 3 (1.5%) exclusively bony injury, 51 (25.1%) both soft and bony injuries, and twenty-five (12.3%) patients sustained dental injury. Aesthetic units most frequently sustaining acute soft tissue injury were the forehead (n = 106, 34.6%), scalp (n = 36, 11.8%), chin (n = 34, 11.1%), upper lip (n = 32, 10.5%), and cheek (n = 31, 10.1%). Aesthetic subunits most often sustaining acute soft tissue injury included the brow (42, 13.7%), central forehead (39, 12.7%), lateral forehead (n = 25, 8.2%), and upper lip vermillion (n = 23, 7.5%). Craniofacial osseous fracture most often occurred in the orbit (n = 42, 24.6%) and maxilla (n = 40, 23.4%). Individual osseous segments most frequently sustaining acute fracture included the anterior maxillary sinus wall (n = 22, 12.9%), nasal bone (n = 20, 11.7%), lateral orbital wall (n = 16, 9.4%), orbital floor (n = 15, 8.8%), and zygomatic bone (13, 7.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

Our analysis demonstrates that most patients presenting to our center with craniofacial trauma sustained acute bony fracture, most often to the midface. Our data of common injuries associated with e-scooter trauma could inform implementation in the form of facial safety equipment or safety skills training for e-scooter riders.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4.

Evaluation of Surface Topography after Face Turning of CoCr Alloys Fabricated by Casting and Selective Laser Melting

The machinability of hard-to-cut CoCr alloys manufactured by Selective Laser Melting (SLM) technology is not yet sufficiently studied. Therefore, this work focuses on evaluation of surface texture formation during face turning of CoCr alloy. As part of the research, two specimen types were subject to comparison: made with the application of conventional casting and manufactured by additive manufacturing-SLM. A number of analytical and experimental methods were employed to describe the specimen composition and morphology, as: X-Ray Diffraction Analysis (XRD), optical metallurgical microscopy, confocal optical microscopy, and Vickers hardness HV_0.1 measurements. In the next stage, the measurements of surface topographies formed during turning in a range of variable cutting speeds and feeds were carried out. Ultimately the multi-factor MANOVA (Multivariate Analysis of Variance) illustrating the influence of manufacturing technology, cutting speed, and feed ratio on selected surface parameters of samples was made. It has been demonstrated that during face turning with feeds up to 0.15 mm/rev, the similar values of surface roughness height and material ratio curve parameters were reached for both tested CoCr alloys. However, in a range of higher feed values, the surface quality of CoCr samples fabricated by SLM was lower than that reached for CoCr after casting process.

It's time for Mohs: Micrographic surgery for the treatment of high-risk basal cell carcinomas of the head and neck regions

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common variety of non-melanoma skin cancer and its incidence is increasing worldwide. The centrofacial sites (area H) are considered a high-risk factor for BCC local recurrence. Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is a technique that allows intraoperative microscopic control of the surgical margins and is a good treatment option when tissue conservation is required for esthetic or functional reasons or for high-risk lesions. The present study aimed to evaluate the recurrence rate of head and neck high-risk BCCs comparing MMS vs conventional surgical excision. Clinical data of patients diagnosed from September 2014 to March 2017, referring to the Dermatology Unit of the Policlinico Sant'Orsola-Malpighi, University of Bologna, were retrospectively evaluated (285 treated with MMS and 378 treated with traditional surgery). Of the 285 patients treated with MMS, 9 experienced a recurrence (3.1%). Of the 378 patients treated with traditional surgery, 53 relapsed (14%), 13 of whom presented residual tumor on the deep or lateral margins of the main surgical specimen. Our study confirms the trend reported in the literature that MMS represents the best treatment option for high-risk BCCs arising in the head and neck region or presenting as a recurrence (P < .00001). Many more MMS centers and more trained dermatologists are needed worldwide in order to deal with the increasing number of BCC diagnosed every year.

Your Face and Moves Seem Happier When I Smile

In this experiment, we replicated the effect of muscle engagement on perception such that the recognition of another's facial expressions was biased by the observer's facial muscular activity (Blaesi & Wilson, 2010). We extended this replication to show that such a modulatory effect is also observed for the recognition of dynamic bodily expressions. Via a multilab and within-subjects approach, we investigated the emotion recognition of point-light biological walkers, along with that of morphed face stimuli, while subjects were or were not holding a pen in their teeth. Under the "pen-in-the-teeth" condition, participants tended to lower their threshold of perception of happy expressions in facial stimuli compared to the "no-pen" condition, thus replicating the experiment by Blaesi and Wilson (2010). A similar effect was found for the biological motion stimuli such that participants lowered their threshold to perceive happy walkers in the pen-in-the-teeth condition compared to the no-pen condition. This pattern of results was also found in a second experiment in which the no-pen condition was replaced by a situation in which participants held a pen in their lips ("pen-in-lips" condition). These results suggested that facial muscular activity alters the recognition of not only facial expressions but also bodily expressions.

[Factors Influencing "Face" in People With Dementia: A Systematic Review of the Literature]

BACKGROUND

Face (self-esteem) is an issue that involves socially endowed status, identity roles, and self-image management and maintenance. People with dementia and their family members often experience social isolation due to diminished self-image, which affects disease progression. Better understanding the factors that influence the self-image of people with dementia may promote the ability of caregivers to maintain self-image and promote public understanding and empathy toward people with dementia.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to explore the factors influencing self-image in people with dementia using a systematic review of the literature.

METHODS

A systematic review was used. Articles were retrieved from electronic databases including PubMed, CINAHL, Airiti Library, and Cochrane Library. The following keywords and MeSH terms were used to search for articles on dementia, face, self-esteem, respect, and self-concept. A total of 3,050 articles published prior to September 2018 that matched the search criteria were extracted. After screening the topics, deleting repetitions, and doing critical appraisals, eight articles were selected for analysis. Research quality was appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute and the Melnyk and Fineout-Overholt for Evidence-Based Medicine Level of Evidence.

RESULTS

Two themes related to the factors influencing self-image in people with dementia were extracted from the selected articles. The first theme was "loss of self-identity". As people with dementia gradually lose their cognitive function and memory ability, they are increasingly incapable of handling and managing their current role tasks. The second theme was "negative public perception". The public believes that people with dementia are at risk to others and that their behaviors are unpredictable, resulting in the deprivation of the rights to which people with dementia are entitled.

CONCLUSIONS / IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Because of disease progression, people with dementia gradually lose their self-identity and become unable to perform their life-role tasks. This is accompanied by negative perceptions of the disease among the public, which, in turn, damages the self-image of people with dementia and their families. The results of this review may provide a reference for caregivers planning future person-centered care approaches for people with dementia. In addition, these results may help facilitate the establishment of a more friendly environment for people with dementia in both public and private spaces.

People expressing olfactory and visual cues of disease are less liked

For humans, like other social animals, behaviour acts as a first line of defence against pathogens. A key component is the ability to detect subtle perceptual cues of sick conspecifics. The present study assessed the effects of endotoxin-induced olfactory and visual sickness cues on liking, as well as potential involved mechanisms. Seventy-seven participants were exposed to sick and healthy facial pictures and body odours from the same individual in a 2 × 2 factorial design while disgust-related facial electromyography (EMG) was recorded. Following exposure, participants rated their liking of the person presented. In another session, participants also answered questionnaires on perceived vulnerability to disease, disgust sensitivity and health anxiety. Lower ratings of liking were linked to both facial and body odour disease cues as main effects. Disgust, as measured by EMG, did not seem to be the mediating mechanism, but participants who perceived themselves as more prone to disgust, and as more vulnerable to disease, liked presented persons less irrespectively of their health status. Concluding, olfactory and visual sickness cues that appear already a few hours after the experimental induction of systemic inflammation have implications for human sociality and may as such be a part of a behavioural defence against disease. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Olfactory communication in humans'.

The role of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex in automatic formation of impression and reflected impression

Previous neuroimaging studies demonstrated that ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) activity reflects how much an individual positively views each person (impression). Here, we investigated whether the degree to which individuals think others positively view them (reflected impression) is similarly tracked by activity in the vmPFC by using fMRI and speed-dating events. We also examined whether activity of the vmPFC in response to the faces of others would predict the impression formed through direct interactions with them. The task consisted of three sessions: pre-speed-dating fMRI, speed-dating events, and post-speed-dating fMRI (not reported here). During the pre-speed-dating fMRI, each participant passively viewed the faces of others whom they would meet in the subsequent speed-dating events. After the fMRI, they rated the impression and reflected impression of each face. During the speed-dating events, the participants had 3-min conversations with partners whose faces were presented during the fMRI task, and they were asked to choose the partners whom they preferred at the end of the events. The results revealed that the value of both the impression and reflected impression were automatically represented in the vmPFC. However, the impression fully mediated the link between the reflected impression and vmPFC activity. These results highlight a close link between reflected appraisal and impression formation and provide important insights into neural and psychological models of how the reflected impression is formed in the human brain.

Facial human bites. Vision on STMMs in Africa

&lt;b&gt;Objectives:&lt;/b&gt; Human bites of the face are a frequent and serious health issue as they often compromise patients function and aesthetics as well as lead to further complications. The aim of the study is to review human bites of the face referred to our team during 112 short-term medical missions (STMMs) in Sub-Saharan Africa over the past 20 years and to discuss the epidemiology, appearance, management and outcome, including the most common complications. &lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Methods:&lt;/b&gt; A retrospective medical documentation review was carried out examining all human bites of the face operated by our team during 112 STMMs from 2000 to 2019 in different countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. &lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; Out of about 5500 patients medical charts 51 patients were selected due to history of human bite. Patients' age range was 15-65 years, female to male ratio was 1, 55:1, the most often involved parts were: lips, ear and nose. Various surgical procedures were carried out including local flaps and free grafts. Infection and graft necrosis were the most common reported complication (n = 4; 9.3%). &lt;br&gt;&lt;b&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/b&gt; Human bites injuries are a serious health problem in some African populations because of their frequency and possible severity. The treatment is particularly challenging due to their potential to cause local infections, the risk they pose for transmission of systemic diseases as well as their demanding surgical management.

Comparison of the effects of polynucleotide and hyaluronic acid fillers on periocular rejuvenation: a randomized, double-blind, split-face trial

Background: Filler injection has become an extremely popular method for facial skin rejuvenation, including the periorbital area. In the recent years, new polynucleotide (PN)-containing filler products have been used for esthetic purposes.Aim: We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of PN filler injection in the periorbital area.Patients/methods: A total of 27 subjects were enrolled in this randomized, pair-matched, and active-controlled study. Each subject received filler injections thrice with two-week intervals, with a PN filler injection on one side and a non-crosslinked hyaluronic acid (HA) filler injection on the contralateral side of the periorbital area.Results: Improvements in the visual analog scale and global esthetic improvement scale scores were not significantly different between the PN and HA groups. The improvement rates of skin elasticity and hydration decreased over time in both groups, with the PN group showing a higher improvement rate. The improvement rates of roughness and pore volume were higher in the PN group than in the HA group. The improvement rate of dermal density was not significantly different between the groups. No serious adverse events were reported.Conclusion: The PN filler injection is effective and safe for periorbital rejuvenation.

Neural processing of infant and adult face emotion and maternal exposure to childhood maltreatment

Face processing in mothers is linked to mother–infant social communication, which is critical for parenting and in turn for child development. Neuroimaging studies of child maltreatment-exposed (CME) mothers are sparse compared to studies of mothers with postpartum depression, which have suggested blunted amygdala reactivity to infant stimuli. We expected to see a similar pattern in CME mothers. Based on broader studies in trauma-exposed populations, we anticipated increased amygdala reactivity to negative adult face stimuli in a comparison task in CME mothers given heightened evaluation of potential threat. We examined Neuroimaging studies of mothers with childhood maltreatment exposure (CME) (18–37 years old), who performed infant (N = 45) and/or adult (N = 46) face processing tasks. CME mothers exhibited blunted bilateral amygdala reactivity to infant faces. There was no between-group difference in amygdala reactivity to adult faces. In infant and adult face processing tasks regardless of CME, superior temporal gyrus activation was increased for negative-valence stimuli. Our preliminary findings suggest that childhood maltreatment alters maternal processing of infant social cues, a critical skill impacting infant socioemotional development.

Revisiting the Limberg flap for central midface reconstruction in elderly patients

To present the use of Limberg flap in the central midface reconstruction as an useful flap in elderly patients. A retrospective review of a total of 13 cases who underwent Limberg flap procedure to reconstruct various sizes of midfacial defects. Etiology, size, location, surgical procedures, outcomes, and complications, final evaluation according to the tumor-free survival and patient satisfaction in terms of aesthetic appearance were analyzed, the latter was evaluated by visual analog scoring system. The mean follow-up period was 11.53 months (2-22 months). The mean age of cases was 68 years (between 49 and 81 years). Average defect size was 7.76 cm² (between 2.25 and 25 cm² ). All operations were performed under local infiltration anesthesia. All patients were discharged on the same day of the operation. All the flaps survived with uneventful wound healing according to the patient satisfaction scores that were reliable and high. No any early or late recurrence was detected. Limberg flap is a safe and rapid option that could be applied in small- and medium-sized cutaneous defects in the central midface reconstruction in elderly patients.

Implicit and explicit processing of bodily emotions in schizophrenia

INTRODUCTION

Disturbed emotion processing is well documented in schizophrenia, but the majority of studies evaluate processing of emotion only from facial expressions. Social cues are also communicated via body posture, and they are similarly relevant for successful social interactions. The aim of the current study was to thoroughly examine body perception abilities in individuals with schizophrenia.

METHODS

Fifty-nine patients with schizophrenia and 37 healthy controls completed two tasks of body processing. The first, which was based on the Affect Misattribution Procedure, evaluated implicit processing of bodily emotions, and the second utilised a traditional emotion identification paradigm to assess explicit emotion recognition.

RESULTS

Results revealed aberrant implicit processing, but more normative explicit processing, in individuals with schizophrenia. Moderate associations were found between processing of bodies and symptoms of paranoia. Performance on the tasks was not related to cognitive functioning but was associated with clinician-rated social functioning.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, these results provide information about disturbed processing of bodily emotions in schizophrenia and suggest that these disturbances are associated with the severity of positive symptoms and predict difficulties in everyday social activities and interpersonal relationships.

Speech perception in a second language: Hearing is believing-seeing is not

This study examined the effects of the speaker's face and accent on second language (L2) speech perception. Forty-two Chinese speakers of English immersed in the L2 environment were instructed to perform a cross-modal semantic judgement task. They saw an Asian or Caucasian face on the screen and heard word pairs in L2 in a native English accent or a Chinese accent, and were asked to judge whether the word pairs were related to each other in meaning or not. Results showed that for words presented in the native accent, there was a semantic effect in both reaction time and accuracy, irrespective of the face shown. For words presented in the non-native accent, the RT data showed a semantic effect, whereas the accuracy revealed a reversed semantic effect. The speed-accuracy trade-off suggests a relatively weak semantic effect. These patterns were not modulated by the faces accompanying the word pairs. These results suggest that the cue of accent plays an important role during bilinguals' speech perception in L2, such that non-native accent hampers speech perception, even when it matches bilinguals' first language. In contrast, bilinguals do not seem to depend on the social indexical cue of the face when it is not reliable. The present findings hold implications for the Bilingual Model of Lexical Access (BIMOLA) of bilingual speech perception and the monolingual models of social speech perception.

Persistent Facial Oedema and Erythema in a Woman, An Uncommon Manifestation of Chronic Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus

Manifestations of chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus are variable. Periorbital and facial swelling occurs in dermatomyositis and systemic lupus, but it has been rarely reported as a manifestation of exclusively cutaneous lupus. A 48-year-old woman presented with a 16-year history of asymptomatic, bilateral swelling and erythema of her face with marked worsening after sun exposure. No systemic symptoms were associated. A complete evaluation did not reveal other findings. Cutaneous biopsy showed features of lupus erythematosus. She was treated with photoprotection, topical tacrolimus, hydroxychloroquine and azathioprine with a partial response. Facial swelling with erythema represents quite an unusual manifestation of chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus. Dermatomyositis, systemic lupus and Morbihan disease are the main differential diagnoses.

Facial Prurigo Pigmentosa After Bariatric Surgery

Prurigo pigmentosa (PP) is a rare, inflammatory, idiopathic skin disorder, which typically presents as symmetrically scattered pruritic erythematous reticulated papules with occasional vesicles. PP has been primarily a disease of the trunk and the neck, and, to the authors’ knowledge, there has been only two reported cases of PP where the forehead/facial areas were involved worldwide. Interestingly, there have not been any reported cases of after bariatric surgery PP with facial involvement. Herein, we present a case of PP after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy with involvement of the face, chest, and back.

Accuracy and bias in first impressions of attachment style from faces

OBJECTIVE

People gather important social information from subtle nonverbal cues. Given that one's attachment style can meaningfully affect the quality of one's relationships, we investigated whether people could perceive men's and women's attachment styles from photos of their neutral faces.

METHOD

In two studies, we measured targets' attachment styles then asked participants (total N = 893) to judge the male and female targets' attachment anxiety and avoidance from photos of their neutral faces (total N = 331) and to report their own attachment anxiety and avoidance.

RESULTS

Participants detected men's attachment style from face photos significantly better than chance in an initial exploratory study and in a preregistered replication but did not consistently detect women's attachment style from their face photos. Moreover, participants' own attachment style biased these first impressions: Individuals with greater attachment anxiety viewed others as more anxiously attached.

CONCLUSIONS

People can detect some hints of unacquainted others' attachment styles from their faces but their own anxious attachment can bias these judgments.

The bottom-up and top-down processing of faces in the human occipitotemporal cortex

Although face processing has been studied extensively, the dynamics of how face-selective cortical areas are engaged remains unclear. Here, we uncovered the timing of activation in core face-selective regions using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Magnetoencephalography in humans. Processing of normal faces started in the posterior occipital areas and then proceeded to anterior regions. This bottom-up processing sequence was also observed even when internal facial features were misarranged. However, processing of two-tone Mooney faces lacking explicit prototypical facial features engaged top-down projection from the right posterior fusiform face area to right occipital face area. Further, face-specific responses elicited by contextual cues alone emerged simultaneously in the right ventral face-selective regions, suggesting parallel contextual facilitation. Together, our findings chronicle the precise timing of bottom-up, top-down, as well as context-facilitated processing sequences in the occipital-temporal face network, highlighting the importance of the top-down operations especially when faced with incomplete or ambiguous input.

Contextual knowledge provided by a movie biases implicit perception of the protagonist

We are constantly categorizing other people as belonging to our in-group (‘one of us’) or out-group (‘one of them’). Such grouping occurs fast and automatically and can be based on others’ visible characteristics such as skin color or clothing style. Here we studied neural underpinnings of implicit social grouping not often visible on the face, male sexual orientation. A total of 14 homosexuals and 15 heterosexual males were scanned in functional magnetic resonance imaging while watching a movie about a homosexual man, whose face was also presented subliminally before (subjects did not know about the character’s sexual orientation) and after the movie. We discovered significantly stronger activation to the man’s face after seeing the movie in homosexual but not heterosexual subjects in medial prefrontal cortex, frontal pole, anterior cingulate cortex, right temporal parietal junction and bilateral superior frontal gyrus. In previous research, these brain areas have been connected to social perception, self-referential thinking, empathy, theory of mind and in-group perception. In line with previous studies showing biased perception of in-/out-group faces to be context dependent, our novel approach further demonstrates how complex contextual knowledge gained under naturalistic viewing can bias implicit social perception.

Multiple Recurrences of Trigeminal Neuralgia Caused by Deformation of the Trigeminal Nerve

Microvascular decompression (MVD) is frequently used for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (TN). We present a case of TN with multiple recurrences despite different interventions. A 50-year-old patient presented with a five-year history of left TN. He initially had an MVD with Teflon padding that eliminated his pain for a year. When pain recurred, he went on to stereotactic radiosurgery, which did not help. He then had two percutaneous retrogasserian glycerol injections, the first one relieved pain for a year and the second only six months. After the second recurrence, we repeated the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, and it showed kinking of the nerve with the padding in place. We decided to re-explore the nerve based on the MRI findings. Intraoperatively, we observed the Teflon padding had become adherent to the petrous bone which caused deformation of the nerve. We did adhesiolysis with debulking of the padding, following which the nerve appeared more relaxed. Postoperatively, the patient had immediate resolution of his pain. At eight-month follow-up, the patient remained pain-free. Multiple factors can be involved in recurrence of TN after MVD. In this case, the size of the padding, continued distortion from the offending artery in addition to scarring from radiosurgery may have contributed to the deformation of the nerve and the recurrence of symptoms. A new MRI can be beneficial when the neuralgia symptoms recur in delayed fashion after successful MVD. Also, the use of a more compact padding material, like Gore-Tex, may cause less deformation of the nerve.

Low Salivary Testosterone Level Is Associated With Efficient Attention Holding by Self Face in Women

Capacity to recognize one’s own face (hereinafter referred to as self face) is a fundamental component of various domains of social cognition such as empathy in humans. Previous research has demonstrated that a high level of androgen suppresses empathic behavior and social brain function. Taking these into consideration, we hypothesized that people with high androgen level show reduced response to self face. The present study examined this hypothesis by investigating the association between attentiveness towards self face, as assessed by a psychophysiological experiment, and salivary testosterone concentration. The attentional responses to self face was measured by a modified Go/NoGo task. In this task, self face or unfamiliar other’s face was presented simultaneously with Go or NoGo signal. In go trials, participants had to divert their attention from the face to a peripheral target. The reaction time (RT) for peripheral target detection in each condition was measured. In addition to behavioral data, saliva samples were collected to assay salivary testosterone concentration. The index of potency of self face to hold viewer’s attention that was computed based on RT data was regressed against salivary testosterone concentration in men and women separately. The analyses revealed that self face holds visuospatial attention more effectively in women with low than high salivary testosterone level, but no such trend was observed in men. This pattern of results indicates that low testosterone level is associated with a pronounced response to self face as we hypothesized and raises the possibility that multiple aspects of self-face processing are under the influence of endocrinological function.

The Effects of Facial Attractiveness and Familiarity on Facial Expression Recognition

The classic theory of face perception holds that the invariant (e.g., identity and race) and variant (e.g., expression) dimensions of face information are independent of one another. Two separate neural systems are involved in face processing. However, the dynamic theory of face perception indicates that these two neural systems interact bidirectionally. Accordingly, by using the emotion categorization task and morph movies task, we investigated the influence of facial attractiveness on facial expression recognition and provided further evidence supporting the dynamic theory of face perception in both the static and dynamic contexts. In addition, this research used familiar celebrities (including actors, television personalities, politicians, and comedians) and explored the role of familiarity in face perception. In two experiments, the participants were asked to assess the expressions of faces with different levels of attractiveness and different levels of familiarity. We found that regardless of being in a static or dynamic face situation, happy expressions on attractive faces can be recognized more quickly, highlighting the advantage of happy expression recognition. Moreover, in static and dynamic familiar face situations, familiarity has a greater impact on expression recognition, and the influence of attraction on expression recognition may be weakened or even unaffected. Our results show that facial attractiveness influences the recognition of facial expressions in both static and dynamic contexts and highlight the importance of familiarity in face perception.

Happy emotion cognition of bimodal audiovisual stimuli optimizes the performance of the P300 speller

OBJECTIVE

Prior studies of emotional cognition have found that emotion-based bimodal face and voice stimuli can elicit larger event-related potential (ERP) amplitudes and enhance neural responses compared with visual-only emotional face stimuli. Recent studies on brain-computer interface have shown that emotional face stimuli have significantly improved the performance of the traditional P300 speller system, but its performance needs to be further improved for practical applications. Therefore, we herein propose a novel audiovisual P300 speller based on bimodal emotional cognition to further improve the performance of the P300 system.

METHODS

The audiovisual P300 speller we proposed is based on happy emotions, with visual and auditory stimuli that consist of several pairs of smiling faces and audible chuckles (E-AV spelling paradigm) of different ages and sexes. The control paradigm was the visual-only emotional face P300 speller (E-V spelling paradigm).

RESULTS

We compared the ERP amplitudes, accuracy, and raw bit rate between the E-AV and E-V spelling paradigms. The target stimuli elicited significantly increased P300 amplitudes (p < .05) and P600 amplitudes (p < .05) in the E-AV spelling paradigm compared with those in the E-V paradigm. The E-AV spelling paradigm also significantly improved the spelling accuracy and the raw bit rate compared with those in the E-V paradigm at one superposition (p < .05) and at two superpositions (p < .05).

SIGNIFICANCE

The proposed emotion-based audiovisual spelling paradigm not only significantly improves the performance of the P300 speller, but also provides a basis for the development of various bimodal P300 speller systems, which is a step forward in the clinical application of brain-computer interfaces.

[Facial allotransplantation: thinking beyond facial transplantation]

Allotransplantation of the face both summarises and deploys the history of organ transplantation. It's a history of successes and disappointments, bringing scientific advances and promises, but also calls for caution and consideration beyond transplantation.